Sale for funds and to ‘put a smile back on Mia’s face’ raises £2,000

A garden transformation is planned for a four-year-old Stanton girl undergoing treatment for leukaemia, thanks to a successful fund-raising sale.

Mia Preston who is seven months into two years of chemotherapy to treat her cancer, said she really wanted new play equipment for her garden – a wish which might now come true.

Mia Preston, of Stanton, aged four, who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia

On Saturday, Ixworth Village Hall hosted a nearly new sale in aid of the Making Mia Smile fund and CLIC Sargent. Organised by a team of mums who know Mia and her mum Emma from Ixworth Baby and Toddler Group, the event raised nearly £2,000 which will be split equally.

Mia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in August 2017 after suffering chest and leg pain and nose bleeds. Her family thought she was anaemic, but tests at Addenbrooke’s Hospital confirmed ALL, a form of blood cancer.

Emma said: “When she diagnosed, it was horrific. You have all the feelings you can imagine. When I heard the word cancer I thought she was going to die. We were scared, worried, upset and angry. I thought ‘she’s four years old, how can this be?’.”

Mia is coping well and responding to the treatment, which currently involves chemotherapy every 10 days. However, when she is not well she has to avoid germs where possible.

“Having a climbing frame, sandpit and slide at home will mean that she can still play outside if she wants to and be like a normal four-year-old,” said Emma. “It’s fantastic that we can now make it happen. We were overwhelmed by the number of people at the sale.”

Abbie Goddard, who helped to organise the sale, said: “We knew Mia’s mum from the playgroup and we wanted to do something. We all think about how we would feel if it was one of our children and how we would want people to help out. We wanted to raise money and put a smile back on Mia’s face.

“Hearing about what Mia is going through makes you bring your own little ones even closer.”

All the items sold on the day were donated, while Hartbeeps provided free entertainment, Soft Steps donated the use of soft play equipment and Clickity-Clack Parties provided real-life princesses.

To donate to Making Mia Smile, go to https://www.gofundme.com/epg7t-helping-mia